Mandevilla plant named ‘Sunparakama’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Mandevilla  plant named ‘Sunparakama’, characterized by its vining plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; large bright red-colored flowers; and long flowering period.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla×amabilis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNPARAKAMA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofMandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla×amabilis andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunparakama’.

The new Mandevilla plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new vining and freely-branchingMandevilla plants with numerous bright red-colored flowers.

The new Mandevilla plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in April, 2004, of a proprietaryselection of Mandevilla×amabilis identified as code number M38-1, notpatented, as the female, or seed parent with a proprietary selection ofMandevilla×amabilis identified as code number MH-1, not patented, as themale, or pollen, parent. The new Mandevilla plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in October, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Mandevilla plant by cuttings inHigashiomi, Shiga, Japan, since November, 2005, has shown that theunique features of this new Mandevilla plant are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environmental conditions such as temperature and lightintensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunparakama’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sunparakama’ as a new and distinct Mandevillaplant:

-   -   1. Vining plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Large bright red-colored flowers.    -   6. Long flowering period.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily fromplants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla have larger leaves than plants        of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla have brighter red-colored        flowers than plants of the female parent selection.    -   3. Petal apices of plants of the new Mandevilla are cuspidate        whereas petal apices of plants of the female parent selection        are rounded.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily fromplants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla and the male parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection        have pink-colored flowers.    -   2. Petal apices of plants of the new Mandevilla are cuspidate        whereas petal apices of plants of the male parent selection are        rounded.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the Mandevilla‘Sunmandecrikin’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,736. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plantsof the new Mandevilla differed from plants of ‘Sunmandecrikin’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla had shorter lateral branches        than plants of ‘Sunmandecrikin’.    -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla had shorter leaves than plants        of ‘Sunmandecrikin’.    -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla had brighter red-colored flowers        than plants of ‘Sunmandecrikin’.    -   4. Petal apices of plants of the new Mandevilla were cuspidate        whereas petal apices of plants of ‘Sunmandecrikin’ were rounded.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Mandevilla plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe actual colors of the new Mandevilla plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunparakama’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers of ‘Sunparakama’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in 15-cm containersin an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under commercialpractice. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged25° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were five monthsold when the photographs and description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla×amabilis ‘Sunparakama’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Mandevilla×amabilis identified as code number M38-1, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Mandevilla×amabilis identified as code number MH-1, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About two weeks at 23° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About five to six            weeks at 23° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; light brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Vining plant habit; vigorous growth            habit; freely branching habit.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 132.5 cm.            Diameter: About 4.3 mm. Internode length: About 8.1 cm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, young:            Close to 145A. Color, mature: Close to N199A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 9.9 cm.        -   Width.—About 4.4 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Cordate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 145A. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation,            close to 145C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 138B; venation, close to 145D.        -   Petiole length.—About 1 cm.        -   Petiole diameter.—About 2.7 mm.        -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely            pubescent.        -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 145C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single salverform flowers; flowers            arranged in axillary racemes; flowers face mostly outwardly;            freely flowering habit with about two to three flowers per            inflorescence.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about six            weeks after planting; long flowering period, plants flower            continuously from early summer to late autumn in Japan.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven to ten days;            flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 14.3 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 17 cm.        -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused and            five-parted; flowers roughly star-shaped. Diameter: About            10.9 cm. Depth (length): About 6.7 cm. Throat diameter:            About 1.9 cm. Tube length: About 5.7 cm. Tube diameter,            mid-section: About 1.6 cm. Tube diameter, base: About 4 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 8.6 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm.            Shape: Lenticular. Color: Close to 46A.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five            petals, fused at the base. Petal length: About 4.9 cm. Petal            width: About 3.3 cm. Petal shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal            apex: Cuspidate. Petal margin: Entire; undulate, revolute.            Petal texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety.            Petal texture, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous. Throat            texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: Petal, when opening and fully opened, upper surface:            Brighter than 46A. Petal, when opening and fully opened,            lower surface: Close to N43A. Throat: Close to 46A; at the            base, close to N25A. Tube: Close to N34A.        -   Corona.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals.            Sepal length: About 9 mm. Sepal width: About 2.3 mm. Sepal            shape: Deltoid. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal base: Truncate.            Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Sepal color, immature and            mature, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144D; towards the            margins, close to 184B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.6 cm. Diameter: About 2.6 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Flexible, but strong.            Color: Close to 144A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 2.4 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Flexible, but strong.            Color: Close to 144A tinted with close to 182A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement:            Typically five; filaments fused to corolla; anthers,            connivent. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 7.5            mm by 1.3 mm. Anther color: Close to 18B. Pollen amount:            Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 18C. Pistils: Quantity:            Typically one. Pistil length: About 2.2 cm. Style color:            Close to 145D. Stigma shape: Conical. Stigma color: Close to            144C. Ovary color: Close to 145A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Mandevilla    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been observed    to tolerate wind, rain and temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to    about 30° C.

1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named ‘Sunparakama’ asillustrated and described.